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arXiv · 1104.4107

Reinforcement-Driven Spread of Innovations and Fads

P. L. Krapivsky·S. Redner·D. Volovik
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Abstract

We propose kinetic models for the spread of permanent innovations and transient fads by the mechanism of social reinforcement. Each individual can be in one of M+1 states of awareness 0,1,2,...,M, with state M corresponding to adopting an innovation. An individual with awareness k 1. The fraction of the population that remains clueless about a transient fad after it has come and gone changes discontinuously as a function of the fad abandonment rate lambda for M>1. The fad dies out completely in a time that varies non-monotonically with lambda.

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P. L. Krapivsky, S. Redner, D. Volovik. 2011-09-29. Reinforcement-Driven Spread of Innovations and Fads. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-5468%2F2011%2F12%2Fp12003

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